BGE has announced the return of its sixth BGE Wires Down Video Challenge to educate elementary school-aged children on the importance of practicing electrical safety. Entry kits include kindergarten through fifth grade lesson plans and entries are accepted through April 2, 2018. Elementary school teachers in public and private elementary schools across BGE’s electric service area are encouraged to work with their classes to submit 30 to 45-second videos of their interpretation of BGE’s popular “Wires Down” electrical safety commercial. Teachers and students have a chance to win between $1,000 and $10,000 to fund a school enrichment project. Up to $34,000 will be awarded this year to winning schools with an additional $500 awarded to the teacher who submits the entry from the grand prize winning school. Teachers of the first five entries will receive a portable power bank to recharge mobile devices. Additionally, the first five, first-time contest entries will be randomly selected to receive a $100 gift card toward the purchase of classroom supplies.

Originally produced in 2000, the Emmy Award-winning BGE “Wires Down” commercial with its “do not, do not, do not touch” melody aims to help raise awareness of electricity hazards, especially among young children. Last year’s $10,000 grand prize winner, Krieger Schechter Day School, was a repeat winner and used the funding to buy specialized STEM Inquiry Kits for their science units. The kits include activities and hands-on experiments in varying subject areas including weather, electricity, rocks and minerals, sound, and food chemistry.

To date, BGE has awarded more than $145,000 to 43 elementary schools across central Maryland as part of the BGE Wires Down Video Challenge. For more information on the contest, to download your free entry kit or to view last year’s winning video, visit bgevideochallenge.com.

BGE reminds all customers to stay away from power lines and report any downed power lines or electrical emergencies immediately by calling 800.685.0123. Follow these safety guidelines:

Assume that all overhead wires are energized at lethal voltages. Never assume that a wire is safe to touch even if it is down, appears to be insulated or if power is out at nearby premises.

Never touch a fallen overhead power line. Call BGE at 800.685.0123 to report fallen electric lines.

Keep yourself and equipment at least 10 feet away from overhead wires during cleanup and other activities.

If working at heights or handling long objects, survey the area before starting work for the presence of overhead wires.

Avoid touching anything that may be in contact with an overhead wire like tree limbs or other debris.

If an overhead wire falls across your vehicle while you are driving, stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line. If the engine stalls, do not leave your vehicle. Warn people not to touch the vehicle or the wire. Call or ask someone to call emergency services.

Never operate electrical equipment while you are standing in water.

Never repair electrical cords or equipment unless qualified and authorized.

Have a qualified electrician inspect electrical equipment that has gotten wet before energizing it.

If working in damp locations, inspect electric cords and equipment to ensure that they are in good condition and free of defects, and use a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

Always use caution when working near electricity.

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